The Supreme Court is set to deliver a verdict on the year-long crisis sparked by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s revolt which led to the fall of the then-ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance led by Uddhav Thackeray in 2022.
It will decide whether Eknath Shinde remains the chief minister and whether his rebellion was illegal.
In June last year, Shinde along with 39 MLAs rebelled against the Shiv Sena leadership resulting in the party’s split and collapse of the MVA government, which also comprised the NCP and Congress. Shinde later joined hands with the BJP to return as the CM after winning a floor test.
The disqualification of the 16 rebel MLAs was then sought by Thackeray's faction.
Along with Shinde, three cabinet ministers are also part of the 16 MLAs whose disqualification plea is before the top court. They were among the first batch of the total 40 MLAs who chose to switch to Shinde’s faction and camped out at a luxury hotel in BJP-ruled Assam.
Read: 'Traitors will be finished...': Sanjay Raut's warning before SC rules on rebel MLAs
Here’s the full list:
{{/usCountry}}Here’s the full list:
{{/usCountry}}Agriculture minister Abdul Sattar
Public health minister Tanaji Sawant
Horticulture minister Sandipan Bhumare
MLAs:
Mahesh Shinde (Koregaon)
Prakash Surve (Magathane)
Balaji Kinikar (Ambernath)
Anil Babar from Khanapur in Sangli
Sanjay Raimulkar (Mehekar - SC)
Ramesh Bornare (Vaijapur)
Balaji Kalyankar (Nanded North)
Sanjay Shirsat (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar West)
Yamini Jadhav (Byculla)
Chimanrao Patil (Erandol)
Bharat Gogawale (Mahad)
Latabai Sonawane (Chopda - ST)
Ahead of the ruling, Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MP Sanjay Raut said the SC's decision will decide whether ‘democracy is alive in the country’, while NCP leader Ajit Pawar said there is no threat to the Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government triggering speculations about whether he is still in touch with BJP.